1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to floating marine docks, and more particularly to a floating marine dock system having elongate rectilinear buoyancy elements of extruded thermal plastic filled with buoyant foam, a connecting system and decking for the dock system.
2. Background and Description of Prior Art
Floating marine docks typically comprise a dock frame formed of wood or metal supported by buoyancy elements and a deck structure, typically of wood planks attached to the dock frame. Known buoyancy elements include closed-cell foam slabs such as rigid Styrofoam®, drums of plastic or steel, molded plastic floats and cedar logs. Unfortunately, foam slabs are difficult to attach to the dock frame and are often detached from the dock frame and lost during storms, or are destroyed by water dwelling rodents that bore into the foam to make nests. Drums (plastic or steel) are likewise difficult to attach to the dock frame, and if perforated by rust, or otherwise flooded, lose their buoyancy and sink. Plastic floats are expensive to form and, if punctured, also flood and sink. Cedar logs are massive both in size and weight, expensive, difficult to transport, are subject to boring worms in salt water environments, and eventually become water logged and sink.
The physics of flotation require that the weight of the entire dock structure (buoyancy elements, dock frame, deck structure, accessories and any supported load such as people) must be less than the weight of the fluid medium (water) displaced by the buoyancy elements. As a result, it is commonly desirable to use buoyancy elements that have a large surface area such as the rectilinear floats shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,055 to Neitzke, et al. or U.S. Pat. No. 8,292,547 B2 to Johannek, et al. These buoyancy elements, because of the large surface area, rest on or near the surface of the fluid medium (water) and do not penetrate deeply into the water even when supporting heavy loads.
Buoyancy elements having large surface areas are well known and commonly used, but also have the undesirable effect of being unstable when loaded unevenly and also of blocking natural sunlight from reaching the water surface. In certain federally protected waterways, such as, but not limited to, the Snake River in the states of Washington and Idaho, the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) mandates all floating dock structures pass a minimum of 50% sunlight to the water surface to enhance marine habitat and to protect various aquatic species, both flora and fauna. Even when a floating dock is “decked” with a porous material, such as “Expanded Wire Mesh” which allows sunlight to pass therethrough, the ESA requirements of the sunlight pass-through is difficult, and nearly impossible to attain with known floating dock structures that use a plurality of closely spaced buoyancy elements. Therefore, there remains a need for a floating dock system that can be used in federally protected waterways including, but not limited to, the Snake River which comply with and satisfy the requirements of the Endangered Species Act.
Floating dock systems typically include one or more floating segments creating dock systems with the floating segments joined together by pins, hinges, chains or other known connection methods. However, known floating dock systems and known connection methods suffer from numerous shortcomings, including, but not limited to, difficulty in assembly, poor cosmetic appearance due to exposed hardware, and lower than desired stability. Further, because floating dock systems are massive in size, and can be enormously heavy (e.g. cedar log floats) the number of locations where a dock segment and/or system may be built/constructed is limited thus making floating marine docks expensive. Therefore, a continuing need exists for an improved floating dock system.
Our floating marine dock and connection system resolves various of the aforementioned problems associated with known floating docks and dock systems and further satisfies the requirements of the Federal Endangered Species Act by providing a floating marine dock that utilizes a plurality of buoyancy elements formed of extruded polyethylene plastic in a rectilinear configuration having a preferred width to height ratio of approximately 2-to-1. The buoyancy elements may be extruded in nearly any length. Interior chambers defined by the buoyancy elements are filled with expanded foam to prevent sinking in the event the buoyancy elements become punctured and to prevent collapsing of the buoyancy elements when compressed by fastening straps. End caps heat welded to end portions of the buoyancy elements provide a water tight seal. The end caps may form butt-ends, or may have a truncated configuration carrying a mounting flange.
The buoyancy elements are interconnected to one another using corner braces, connecting straps and connecting bands, and may form a variety of configurations including, but not limited to, structure in the shape of a periphery of a rectangle wherein the center portion of the rectangle remains open. The buoyancy elements are interconnected to one another so that a minor dimension is horizontal and a major dimension is vertical. This unique positioning of the buoyancy elements forces the buoyancy elements more deeply into the water (below the surface of the water) and correspondingly decreases the amount of the surface area of the water that is physically obstructed from passage of natural sunlight.
The connecting bands have a threaded adjustment/tensioning feature and are placed upon and extend about an outer circumference of the buoyancy elements to interconnect the buoyancy elements to one another and to provide a means for mounting a deck structure upon the interconnected buoyancy elements.
Decking may be attached to the interconnected buoyancy elements to extend thereacross and across any open space defined between any spaced apart buoyancy elements. When a decking material, such as expanded wire mesh is used, a sufficient amount of natural sunlight passes therethrough to reach the water surface to satisfy and meet the stringent requirements of the Endangered Species Act.
Other decking materials, such as lumber, wood, synthetic wood and the like may also be fastened to the buoyancy elements and connecting elements to provide a more aesthetically appealing decking assembly. Other desirable dock accessories, such as, but not limited to, cleats, benches, storage lockers, steps, ladders and the like may also be interconnected to and supported by the marine dock.
End-to-end connection of the buoyancy elements may be accomplished by using flanges and connecting bands that allow formation of strong secure butt-joints. End-to-end connections of the buoyancy elements may also be accomplished with truncated flanged end pieces that allow the buoyancy elements to be interconnected with one another to form pontoon type buoyancy elements with extreme lengths. The ability to construct long buoyancy elements increases stability and is especially desirable in commercial operations, such as marinas. Further, the truncated flanged end pieces allow connection fittings, such as bolts, nuts and washers to be moved radially inwardly toward a center of the buoyancy elements so that the connection fittings are not susceptible to being damaged, nor are they a risk to vessels and boats moored to the dock. Braces, coupled with connecting bands extend between spaced apart buoyancy elements to positionally maintain the buoyancy elements as desired and to prevent the buoyancy elements from moving relative to one another. The uniquely configured braces cause minimal light obstruction.
Our floating marine dock and connection system overcomes various of the aforementioned drawbacks by providing a floating marine dock system comprised of plural buoyancy elements having a consistent rectilinear peripheral configuration and of varying lengths, each buoyancy element providing a consistent amount of flotation. Connection fittings provide for interconnection of the buoyancy elements in a variety of configurations allowing a user to create various desirable floating dock configurations. The connection fittings also provide a means for attaching a variety of accessories to the dock assembly. A variety of types of decking may be attached to and supported on the dock assembly and such decking allows our floating dock assembly to comply with the requirements of the Federal Endangered Species Act and also to be aesthetically appealing and desirable. Our floating marine dock and connection system is also lightweight such that the buoyancy elements may be interconnected while on shore and then moved into the water for installation of the decking. Our floating marine dock allows individuals to purchase, build and install floating docks without the need to purchase a dock from a commercial dock building operation and wait extensive periods of time for the dock to be built and installed.
Various of the drawbacks and problems explained above, and other drawbacks and problems, may be helped or solved by our invention shown and described herein. Our invention may also be used to address other problems not set out herein or which become apparent at a later time. The future may also bring to light unknown benefits which may, in the future, be appreciated from the novel invention shown and described herein.
Our invention does not reside in any one of the identified features individually, but rather in the synergistic combination of all of its structures, which give rise to the functions necessarily flowing therefrom as hereinafter specified and claimed.